ECON 2305-001. PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
Summer I, 2017
Instructor: Don Blackburn
Phone Number:817-272-3061 (Economics Department Office)
Office: COB 240B
Email:
Faculty Profile:
Office Hours: MTWTh 7:30 – 8:00am,or by appointment
Section Information
Time and Place of Class Meetings: COBA 239, MTWTh8:00 - 10:00am
Description of Course Content: Principles of Macroeconomics covers the elements of economics that deal with many problems facing societies as a whole and how these problems affect individuals. Issues such as inflation, unemployment, government policies, global integration, and economic growth impact all of us. Economics helps develop decision-making tools to aid in making choices critical to a well-functioning economy. Current events will be introduced during the semester.
Course Prerequisites: NONE
Course Purpose: This course satisfies the University of Texas at Arlington core curriculum requirement in social and behavioral studies.
Course Objectives:
This course satisfies the following four objectives.
- Critical thinking skills include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information. Students will demonstrate evidence of critical thinking skills by learning and using economic principles and analysis in examining and critiquing various social policies and issues such as government regulations for drug approval and pollution, the economic consequences of criminal behavior, the market effects of drug prohibition, the issues of an aging society, tax policies and their myriad of impacts, and the consequences of unemployment and the minimum wage, to name a few.
- Communication skills include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication. Students will demonstrate communication skills throughout the course through classroom participation, frequent class discussions and course exercises including examinations and in-class assignments.
- Empirical and quantitative skills include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions. For example, students will be able to work with quantitative measures such as the social security and income tax rate policy, changes in crime rates as they relate to our overall economy, and the impact of government policies on drug prices, both legal and illegal. Based on these and other measures, students will be able to judge the impact of various social policies on our economy and overall social welfare.
- Social responsibility includes intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities. In this area, for example, students will be able to articulate the impact that government regulation and taxes have on improving access to healthcare, making our neighborhoods safer, reducing pollution, and attending to the issues of immigration flows.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this class the student should be able to:
- explain and discuss the course content as noted in the course and subject outline
- demonstrate their knowledge of course material through examinations, quizzes, and class discussions
- employ the methods that economists use to investigate market outcomes
- use and critique alternative theories of the macroeconomy
- develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues such as poverty and unemployment
- differentiate and analyze historical evidence (documentary and statistical) and differing points of view
- analyze, critically assess, and develop creative solutions to public policy problems such as inflation
- recognize appropriate information sources for data about the state of the economy.
Required Textbooks and Other Course Materials:
Economics Today: The Macro View, 18th Edition, Miller, Pearson, 2016. (ISBN-13: 978-0-13-400463-1) (Required) Any loose-leaf or other format of this text will be acceptable. Different ISBN's may exist for this text edition, depending on format.
MyEconLab, Pearson Online Access Card Package. (Required)
Course Format:
This course is presented in a lecture format with required outside of class text and other reading and viewing. Information will be provided in the classroom using a variety of media. Classroom discussions and problem solving sessions will be used. Current events will be introduced during the semester as appropriate.
Course Text Outline:
Chapter 1 – The Nature of Economics
Chapter 2 -- Scarcity and the World of Trade-Offs
Chapter 3 -- Demand and Supply
Chapter 4 -- Extensions of Demand and Supply Analysis
Chapter 5 -- Public Spending and Public Choice
Chapter 6 -- Funding the Public Sector
Chapter 7 -- The Macroeconomy: Unemployment, Inflation, and Deflation
Chapter 8 --Measuring the Economy's Performance
Chapter 9 -- Global Economic Growth and Development
Chapter 10 -- Real GDP and Price Level in the Long Run
Chapter 11 – Classical and Keynesian Macro Analysis
Chapter 12 – Consumption, Real GDP, and the Multiplier
Chapter 13 -- Fiscal Policy
Chapter 14 --Deficit Spending and the Public Debt
Chapter 15 – Money, Banking, and Central Banking
Chapter 16 – Domestic and International Dimensions of Monetary Policy
Chapter 32 – Comparative Advantage and the Open Economy
Chapter 33–Exchange Rates and the Balance of Payments
Some chapters in the text may not be covered or may be only partially covered. Chapters may not be covered in numerical order.
Other related topics will be covered in Lecture as appropriate.
The Course Schedule below identifies the areas of study by week. It does NOT identify specific text chapters or other materials that cover those subjects.
Major Assignments and Examinations:
A Mid-Term Examination plus a comprehensive Final Examination will be given.
Attendance:
At The University of Texas at Arlington, taking attendance is not required. Rather, each faculty member is free to develop his or her own methods of evaluating students’ academic performance, which includes establishing course-specific policies on attendance.
As the instructor of this section, I have elected to take attendance at class meetings to satisfy U.S. Department of Education requirements set out below and for class participation events. I will not factor attendance into the grade except for class participation events.
However, while UT Arlington does not require instructors to take attendance in their courses, the U.S. Department of Education requires that the University have a mechanism in place to mark when Federal Student Aid recipients “begin attendance in a course.” UT Arlington instructors will report when students begin attendance in a course as part of the final grading process. Specifically, when assigning a student a grade of F, faculty report the last date a student attended their class based on evidence such as a test, participation in a class project or presentation, or an engagement online via Blackboard. This date is reported to the Department of Education for federal financial aid recipients.
Should any official request for your attendance be made, I will reply to that request based on my class attendance records.
Students are expected to attend each class and are expected to arrive on time and come to each class having read the text and having read or viewed other materials for that class and with any other assignments or assessments completed. Answering the end of chapter questions for the material to be covered in each class is an explicit part of reading the text and should be completed before the class.
Students who miss a class are responsible for securing any and all coursework or announcements missed. It is my suggestion that each student make an arrangement with one or two other students for securing all coursework or announcements missed. I will not provide this information.
Other Requirements:
Cell phones are NOTallowed in class. Theymust be turned off or silenced and not on desk surfaces during class.
Other electronic devices are allowed in class only for class-related purposes, such as when your text is in electronic form on the device, you takeclass notes with it, or class participation requires.
An exception to these requirements will be allowed for documented disability accommodations.
Grading and Methods of Evaluation:
Grades: A = 89.50-100 B = 79.50-89.49 C = 69.50-79.49 D = 59.50-69.49 F = 59.49 and below
Exams: OneMid-Term Exam plus the Final Exam will be given. The Mid-Term Exam is worth 30% of your grade. The Final Exam isworth 40% of your grade. Tentative dates for theMid-Term Exam andthe fixed date of the Final Exam are:
Mid-Term Exam: Wednesday, 6/21/2017
Final Exam: Monday, 7/10/2017
The date and content of the Mid-Term Exam and the content of the Final Exam are dependent on class progress and may be adjusted during the semester. Announcements will be made in class for any exam content and date changes. The date and time of the Final Exam is fixed by the University.
Homework Assignments: Homework Assignments are 10% of your grade. Homework Assignments will be administered through MyEconLab. All Homework Assignments are individual effort open-book. The lowest two (2) Homework Assignment grades will be dropped.
Quizzes: Quizzes are 10% of your grade. Quizzes will be administered through MyEconLab, through Blackboard or in class. Blackboard and in-class quizzes may be announced or unannounced. All quizzes, regardless of medium are individual effort closed book. The lowest two (2) Quiz grades will be dropped.
Class Participation: Class participation is 10% of your grade. Class participation events include all in-class student class discussions. Other participation events will be announced in class. In order to receive a class participation event grade, you must be in attendance for that class period. If you are not present or are significantly tardy during the class period for that event, you will receive a grade of zero (0).
Make-up Homework Assignment, Quiz, Participation and Exam Policy: If you do not submit MyEconLab Homework Assignments or Quizzes on time, or miss a Blackboard or in-class quiz or participation event, gradesWILL NOT be made upFOR ANY REASON and will result in a grade of zero (0) for that homework assignment, quiz or participation event. The Mid-Term Exam WILL NOT be made-up if you miss it. If you miss the Mid-Term Exam for a valid reason completely and totally beyond your control, you MAY be allowed to substitute the Final Exam percentage grade for that missed exam percentage grade. This IS NOTA GUARANTEE that you may miss the Mid-Term Exam and receive a grade other than zero (0) on it. I reserve the sole right to determine the validity of any excuse, and to require documentation proof, acceptable to me, for the absence excuse to be valid and accepted. If at all possible, notify me by emailBEFORE the exam class if you must miss the exam, but in no case later than the next class period. YOU MUST TAKE THE FINAL EXAM.
Other devices: You may use an approved calculator for any MyEconLab, Blackboard or in-class quiz or in-class Exam or Final Exam, but may not share a calculator. NOother electronic devices may be used during an in-class quiz, exam or the Final Exam.
Expectations for Out-of-Class Study: Beyond the time required to attend each class meeting, students enrolled in this course should expect to spend at least an additional sixteen (16) hours per week of their own time in course-related activities, including reading required materials, completing assignments and assessments, taking notes, preparing for exams, etc.
Blackboard: This class will use Blackboard, an electronic learning software platform, for the distribution of course information, including grade results during the semester, and for some quizzes. Go to to log in. Be sure to check the class Blackboard site on a regular basis for announcements and other material related to class.
Grade Grievances: Any appeal of a grade in this course must follow the procedures and deadlines for grade-related grievances as published in the current University Catalog.
Drop Policy: Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes through self-service in MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late registration period. After the late registration period, students must see their academic advisor to drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center. Drops can continue through a point two-thirds of the way through the term or session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw if they do not plan to attend after registering. Students will not be automatically dropped for non-attendance. Repayment of certain types of financial aid administered through the University may be required as the result of dropping classes or withdrawing. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships ( ABSOLUTELY NO DROPS AFTER THE OFFICIAL LAST DAY TO DROP.
Disability Accommodations:UTArlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), The Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide “reasonable accommodations” to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of disability. Students are responsible for providing the instructor with official notification in the form of a letter certified by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). Only those students who have officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored. Students experiencing a range of conditions (Physical, Learning, Chronic Health, Mental Health, and Sensory) that may cause diminished academic performance or other barriers to learning may seek services and/or accommodations by contacting:
The Office for Students with Disabilities, (OSD) or calling 817-272-3364. Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based academic accommodations can be found at
Counseling and Psychological Services, (CAPS) or calling 817-272-3671 is also available to all students to help increase their understanding of personal issues, address mental and behavioral health problems and make positive changes in their lives.
Non-Discrimination Policy: The University of Texas at Arlington does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, genetic information, and/or veteran status in its educational programs or activities it operates. For more information, visituta.edu/eos.
Title IX Policy: The University of Texas at Arlington (“University”) is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment that is free from discrimination based on sex in accordance with Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits sex discrimination in employment; and the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE Act). Sexual misconduct is a form of sex discrimination and will not be tolerated.For information regarding Title IX, visit or contact Ms. Jean Hood, Vice President and Title IX Coordinator at (817) 272-7091 or .
Academic Integrity: Students enrolled all UT Arlington courses are expected to adhere to the UT Arlington Honor Code:
I pledge, on my honor, to uphold UT Arlington’s tradition of academic integrity, a tradition that values hard work and honest effort in the pursuit of academic excellence.
I promise that I will submit only work that I personally create or contribute to group collaborations, and I will appropriately reference any work from other sources. I will follow the highest standards of integrity and uphold the spirit of the Honor Code.
UT Arlington faculty members may employ the Honor Code in their courses by having students acknowledge the honor code as part of an examination or requiring students to incorporate the honor code into any work submitted. Per UT System Regents’ Rule 50101, §2.2, suspected violations of university’s standards for academic integrity (including the Honor Code) will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. Violators will be disciplined in accordance with University policy, which may result in the student’s suspension or expulsion from the University. Additional information is available at
It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form.
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give an unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.
Electronic Communication: UT Arlington has adopted MavMail as its official means to communicate with students about important deadlines and events, as well as to transact university-related business regarding financial aid, tuition, grades, graduation, etc. All students are assigned a MavMail account and are responsible for checking the inbox regularly. There is no additional charge to students for using this account, which remains active even after graduation. Information about activating and using MavMail is available at
Campus Carry: Effective August 1, 2016, the Campus Carry law (Senate Bill 11) allows those licensed individuals to carry a concealed handgun in buildings on public university campuses, except in locations the University establishes as prohibited. Under the new law, openly carrying handguns is not allowed on college campuses. For more information, visit
Student Feedback Survey: At the end of each term, students enrolled in face-to-face and online classes categorized as “lecture,” “seminar,” or “laboratory” are directed to complete an online Student Feedback Survey (SFS). Instructions on how to access the SFS for this course will be sent directly to each student through MavMail approximately 10 days before the end of the term. Each student’s feedback via the SFS database is aggregated with that of other students enrolled in the course. Students’ anonymity will be protected to the extent that the law allows. UT Arlington’s effort to solicit, gather, tabulate, and publish student feedback is required by state law and aggregate results are posted online. Data from SFS is also used for faculty and program evaluations. For more information, visit